Politics & Government
Grant Would Provide Activities, Support for Skate Park
Effort would be a collaborative one.
Local police, in conjunction with other town departments, agencies and community organizations are hoping to give the town's skate park a boost over the next couple of years.
The Canton Police Department has applied for a $9,000 state grant it would use to pay for two large skate events complete with sponsors, supplies and advertising. The grant would also cover some signs, maintenance at the park and a few other community programs.
Dubbed the Canton Skate SPARK Partnership, the effort would be an ongoing one, Police Chief Christopher Arciero said.
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“If it’s a continuing program, that’s the beauty of it,” Arciero said. “It’s an ongoing partnership with the community, kids, cops and agencies.”
The funds, if granted by the state Office of Policy and Management, would pay for a skate parks skills competition this year and a second event with a battle of the bands next year. The events would be a collaboration among police, the Parks and Recreation Department, the Youth Services Bureau, local businesses, skateboarders and others.
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The idea is also to work with the skateboarders and have them help with the events and suggestions for the park.
Arciero said it would provide some support for a group often marginalized and ignored by many. “We want to develop some leadership in that group,” he said.
One who needs no convincing about the value of developing skate park activities is Brian J. Wilson, director of parks and recreation.
"It’s a great thing for the town to have,” Wilson said.
It wasn’t always viewed that way, however. Wilson started in the fall of 2009, after a rough summer for the park. He said at the time there had been a “wave” of vandalism and graffiti, which many people just assumed was from those who used the skate park.
Additionally, pool staff had been told to enforce a helmet rule at the park, which led to some conflict from teenagers telling other teens what to do. These issues and others had led to a strong push to have the park closed.
When Wilson started some of the issues were re-evaluated. For one, he said research showed that the rate of injury at skate parks was very low when compared to more “traditional” sports like soccer and baseball.
Subsequently, some changes were made. Helmets, for example, went from being required to strongly recommended.
Wilson, who participated in skateboarding, rollerblading and similar sports as a kid, said he also feels the park, which is about 10 years old, has been underutilized.
“It hasn’t been utilized to its full potential,” Wilson said. “We want to see the park stay open and do well,”
Wilson said members of the police department, including Arciero and Detective Kevin Wilkinson, have also strongly advocated for the park.
He said he also thinks kids can get a lot out of the park and skating can be positive.
“I think a lot of kids develop good relations and good values,” Wilson said.
He said he plans to do what he can at the park even if the grant does not come through but the funds would really help the town. “It’s going to be really great fun to work with the kids, the police and other groups in the community,” he said.
Skateboarder Peter Lewis, 19, of Canton, was intrigued by the idea of the grant as well.
“It would be great for this park,” said Lewis, a Canton High School graduate who said he will take classes at Tunxis soon.
Arciero said the town should know by early May if it will receive the funds.
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